'Disco Rabbi' Composes Song Thanking G-d for Saving Little Moshe

The rabbi sings a catchy tune giving thanks to G-d for sparing Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg's son Moishe as well as others who were present.

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 12/9/2008, 10:22 PM

The famous Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman of Migdal Ha'Emek, known as the Disco Rabbi, composed a catchy new niggun thanking G-d for saving the Holtzbergs' son and others.

Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman of Migdal Ha'Emek composed a new niggun, or melody, giving thanks to G-d for sparing Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg's son Moishe and other people who were present when terrorists struck Mumbai's Chabad House.

The story, along with a video of the rabbi teaching the catchy niggun (a Torah verse put to melody) for the first time, was posted in the Life in Israel blog.

The words to the niggun are a verse from the 18th blessing of the 'Amidah' Silent Prayer which is recited by observant Jews three times every day. It reads "HaTov Ki Lo Chalu Rachamecha VeHaMerachem Ki Lo Tamu Chasadecha, Ki Me'Olam Kivinu Lach" ("The Good, because Your mercy has not ended, and the Merciful One because your kindness is not over, for we have always hoped for You."

Before Rabbi Grossman began singing the niggun he explained the idea behind it. When one says a blessing one does not make G–d greater than He was, he explained. "So what is the purpose of a blessing?", he asked. "The purpose of a blessing is to give thanks… The basis on which the Nation of Israel gives thanks is not just to rejoice with yourself if you experienced a miracle, but also to be happy when a miracle occurs to your friend, as if it happened to you," the Rabbi explained.

Little Moishe and his Indian nanny were both staying at the Rabbi's home at the time that he spoke.

Rabbi Grossman is known as the Disco Rabbi but not because of his dancing habits. Rather, he is famous for entering Migdal Ha'Emek's discotheques on Friday nights, sitting at the bar and drinking water. As a result of this activity, which shamed the local youth into finding alternative means of entertainment on Fridays, the discos eventually stopped opening their doors on the Sabbath.